Are you considering emigration?

[Sukkafool]

Left for Germany in October last year. Got a job here within the first month of arriving. I dont really speak German, I have A1 level German which is what I needed to get my spousal ( family reunification visa) but that is quite easy to pass. Huge adaptation and not easy really as the company that I work at is VERY German with only a little English spoken however somehow I am muddling through it and have been for a few months now. What has made it really hard is having winter in SA and then having winter here. The language barrier is also hard to navigate at times. The culture is quite different as are the people in many ways but I dont regret it for a second HOWEVER I am aware that it is very early days. We are lucky that some of our closest friends moved here just over 3 years ago so we had a base to start from and all the advice necessary to get us going properly here.
Nearly everyone that I know in SA that has or had the ability to go has done so.

 

[chuckles_the_cnt]

Guys a rando question here, trying not to derail here but how many of you know people with kids who are pulling their kids out of school to leave SA?

Knew a few parents waiting for their kids to matriculate but that seems to of changed and kids are pulled out asap

if your kids are on the saffa school curriculum they will be expected to catch up, the education in saffa is useless at best. if they're in private with international curriculum - no worries.
depends on how stupid your kids are really, i understand many follow the caps crap and cant afford any better
pointless to matriculate in saffalan, it's a worthless certificate

 

[hj007]

Left for Germany in October last year. Got a job here within the first month of arriving. I dont really speak German, I have A1 level German which is what I needed to get my spousal ( family reunification visa) but that is quite easy to pass. Huge adaptation and not easy really as the company that I work at is VERY German with only a little English spoken however somehow I am muddling through it and have been for a few months now. What has made it really hard is having winter in SA and then having winter here. The language barrier is also hard to navigate at times. The culture is quite different as are the people in many ways but I dont regret it for a second HOWEVER I am aware that it is very early days. We are lucky that some of our closest friends moved here just over 3 years ago so we had a base to start from and all the advice necessary to get us going properly here.
Nearly everyone that I know in SA that has or had the ability to go has done so.

I've been very interested in Germany, are you in dev work? or is your day-to-day work needing to write/read in German?

My work is more about investments, reports, due diligence etc which I feel would be catastrophic to do in German vs English, since I'm not about to understand legal documents, and tax documents in German.. are there a number of companies in Germany that are more English? like joining a US/UK-based multinational, or large German bank like DB, or other?

Also, I've always wondered about that Germany is ranked poorly for expats:

Germany Is the Toughest Country to Handle the Basics of Expat Life - InterNations

Discover the Expat Insider 2022 edition: one of the biggest expat surveys worldwide lets you see the world through expat eyes.

www.internations.org

 

[Fjorko]

You can do it online. https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports
About £115

Thanks!

 

[Sukkafool]

I've been very interested in Germany, are you in dev work? or is your day-to-day work needing to write/read in German?

My work is more about investments, reports, due diligence etc which I feel would be catastrophic to do in German vs English, since I'm not about to understand legal documents, and tax documents in German.. are there a number of companies in Germany that are more English? like joining a US/UK-based multinational, or large German bank like DB, or other?

Also, I've always wondered about that Germany is ranked poorly for expats:

Germany Is the Toughest Country to Handle the Basics of Expat Life - InterNations

Discover the Expat Insider 2022 edition: one of the biggest expat surveys worldwide lets you see the world through expat eyes.

www.internations.org

Im in the litho-printing industry, specifically the prepress side. My day to day work is all in German but being a specific industry I am able to muddle through by knowing the equivalent words for the same processes BUT everyday it gets a little easier. I wont lie though, it is SUPER daunting at first but not impossible. I am in Berlin and for the most part as long as you try to speak German and fail its not a problem. Lots of different cultures in Berlin so there is a lot of English. Most tech startups are all English speaking, I have friends in banking/finance that speak English at work but I do know that they struggle quite a bit as while they get to speak English I think the finance side is mostly German. From what I know the coding side is pretty much all English.

It is not easy if you dont speak the language. The Germans are proud and appear stand-offish but the more of an effort you make to integrate and learn the more they open up.
That being said, the learning curve is significant. I do not find the language easy. Afrikaans helps somewhat but its still not easy, well not for me anyway but hell, if I can do it......
L

 

[Mariuspay]

Haiti or Cuba?

Been to Cuba for 3 weeks a while back. Would go live there any time.

 

[rh1]

Been to Cuba for 3 weeks a while back. Would go live there any time.

This part of Cuba or the touristy parts:

 

[Jam Sandwich]

This part of Cuba or the touristy parts:

Looks waaaaay cleaner than south africa at any rate...
Then again there is no pride here anymore...

 

[enyawmaharg]

Whats the point of no return, i see one vote for water. The obvious other is power which is almost certainly already ruined. monumental ZAR depreciation?
Not being able to buy bread? Some European countries are suffering form this already...

 

[markings]

If it works out I will go to Malaysia.

 

[Dave]

Some European countries are suffering form this already...

Where is that happening?

 

[neoprema]

We are always considering it but family and the family business keep us here for now. he UK is the logical choice for us since I am a British citizen along with my brothers, my wife is busy with her application, my father is British and my inlaws except for my BIL are all British citizen's.

same boat. Not my family i'm not married, but going backwards like parentals etc.

 

[clickingbuttons]

Whats the point of no return, i see one vote for water. The obvious other is power which is almost certainly already ruined. monumental ZAR depreciation?
Not being able to buy bread? Some European countries are suffering form this already...

Which European countries?

Can you provide a source corroborating this?

 

[redspark]

Staying put and hopefully ride out the bumpy, local waves in the next 100 years

 

[Dianysis]

Would love to.
But don't have the means, sadly.
Hopefully I will be dead before this country really goes tits up.
(I know it is already bad...)

 

[Festinalente]

Professionally qualified sons left +/- 10 years ago as local prospects were uninspiring.
They have made new lives in the developed world.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

Have British citizenship, So sending money out but staying here as long as possible as UK way of life is sh*t

Got ton of extended family there as citizens - they seem happy. What are your objections to UK life ? Curious to know.

 

[noxibox]

if your kids are on the saffa school curriculum they will be expected to catch up, the education in saffa is useless at best. if they're in private with international curriculum - no worries.

Can you give some examples in mathematics and science of topics covered in all other countries, but not in South Africa?

 

[purple face]

 

[noxibox]

They have a shrinking population, so they kinda need to be accepting - but unlike what the EU did by handing out citizenship to people not fitting in like candy bars and instead telling existing citizens to "embrace multiculturalism & diversity", they make sure you actually fit in and have forgotten your heritage, religions, etc to not be a nuisance, like what's happening in Europe, Australia, etc.

Like when Europeans went to other countries and lived in tight-knit groups bringing their religions and customs with them? Australia and the US certainly wouldn't have a leg to stand on expecting people not to bring their culture with them.

So that's where the case worker comes in, to vouch for the Japanese Government, that you in fact do fit in, can speak the language like a 7 year old and don't plan on setting up a new church once you have the constitutional right to live there.

I suppose it would depend on the person's religion. Japan is already well covered when it comes to providing religious venues for Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Jews.